A post from Egypt !

Its 1:00 am local time, and I’m on the balcony of my hotel room. Presidents Hotel, in Zamalek is one of those budget hotels. For 60USD a night, its pretty good !

My room is on the 13th floor. There is a nice breeze, and its cold. I would hate to go back to the intense summer heat of Oman. I’m actually right opposite to the Omani Embassy in Cairo, not that it will be helpful, given that I’m not Omani !

I’m using someone's unsecured WiFi connection. Egypt has too many of these, way to many. WiFi is everywhere ! And there is a 100% chance you will find one open.

This is my first time alone in Egypt. Last time I was with over 300 AIESEC members for the Middle East North Africa Exchange and Leadership development conference (MENA XLDS).

To be alone in this messed up city can be a daunting task. Its just like Bangladesh, but the difference is that I don’t know the local language. But my last travel has made me more prepared to the shocks and rip offs that people here offer. And might I say I have pulled it off pretty well so far.

Zamalek is a very quiet, green, and posh area. Its where most of the embassies are located. My main reason of travel is to visit the Colombian embassy to get my visa. And by tomorrow, I would have done that !

But I like Zamalek more then the other places here in Cairo. Its a nice place to stay. Great view of the Nile and really nice.

So after arriving here, I went out for a walk. Its a pretty small place. Might I add, my GPS on the E66 has saved me yet again. I love this thing ! I would have been in deep trouble without it.

Ok, back to the walk part. So, while walking on the side walk with the Nile on my left, I found the lover’s nest. Yes, this is where the young and middle aged lovers come to twitter x] (you know what I mean). Some stand by the railing, other park their cars and continue inside. I have not seen this before in Cairo, and here it is so open! No one bothers or cares about the passing by people. Although they seemed pretty scared of me, cause I was walking around with my Nikon D60 which is not hard to miss.

The story of how I got from the airport to here is for another post. Its pretty long and I need to wake up early tomorrow.

Later !

Pink Girl

Yeah, I know. I haven’t blogger in ages ! Its just a habit I can’t seem to get myself into. I envy kishorcariappa, muscati, angryinoman. They do such an awesome job. Cheers to them !

I recently had an amazing trip for an AIESEC conference in Egypt. It was called MENA XLDS ‘09. I will talk about that experience in a later post. But there I met a girl. Who is P.I.N.K. For real ! And she is also very sweet and cute *blush*

So I wrote a song about her. Technically, this song I have used a lot more chords then I usually do. So yeah, love it !

Check it out !

Pink Girl (Original)

Colombia

So headed off to Colombia hopefully soon for an internship through AIESEC.

After having a depressing experience with the Japanese Internship (the company backed off at the last moment), I have found this awesome opportunity to experience a part of the world that many of us from SE Asia, or ME don’t really think about.

I cannot say that the process has been smooth. I don’t know who to blame, but when they get to know my nationality on my passport, things automatically take a wrong term.

Transit visa’s are a pain in the ass. Plain and simple. Why do they even have these ? Like, you are too dangerous to loiter around in our airport !

I need two TRASIT VISAs. USA and UK. So yeah that makes it much more harder! I also have to fly to Egypt for a second time to get my visa from the Colombian Consulate there.

Interesting fact: There is an honorary consulate here. The consular is the VP of the Omani Olympic Committee. They do not have an office or staff. Its just him.

No matter what, I’m now determined to make this trip and get to know North America.

I hope to write back with some good news, and the ever so hard to get final confirmations.

Oman Mobile 3.5G !!

 

Oman Mobile finally gets around to launching its own 3.5G service. On 1st of March after corporate testing, it was officially released to the public. Here are some interesting offers/features as advertised by Omanmobile:

1. They insist of up to 7.5Mbps speed. Now we all know this is a theoretical speed, and no one ever really gets this ! Nawras dose a better job at informing customers of 1Mbps Download and 384Kbps upload, which is more closer to reality.
2. R.O. 1 for 24 Hours is cheaper then Nawras (R.O. 3 for 48 Hours). Currently this offer is valid only till May 7th for Omanmobile. Nawras has turned its offer into a package.
3. Pay as you go charges are almost identical.
4. 1 GB plan is the same (R.O. 19) but then Omanmobile offers more GBs and increased the package price (15GB for R.O. 34) and (30GB for R.O. 59)
5. There is no inter-network video calling yet.
6. Video calling is a little bit more expensive then Nawras.
7. Omanmobile seems to have a very good coverage already deployed. Special mention: Buraimi, Hafeet, Salalah.
8. The devices are Huawei (R.O. 59, 69, 109).

So what do I think ? Well, its not a surprise. Omanmobile is clearly targeting its own customers and not invoking a price fight. Which in a way is rather disappointing. I think the only reason why there are two or more companies is to have competition. 

I must say, I’m a bit disappointed with Nawras, their 3G+ network coverage has not improved much since they launched their service a long time ago. Their video calling isn’t that great.

Anyone who has tested the quality and speed of their service, please feel free to leave comments.

Links:

Omanmobile 3.5G

Nawras 3G+

Cover of Lost - Coldplay

Haven’t done one in ages.

So, I finally gather up my courage to make another video. This time its a cover.

This is an amazing song by Coldplay’s album Viva La Vida. The song is more drum based, and we all know the mind blowing stage performance of Coldplay. So this might seem a little boring.

Now, I haven’t been learning the guitar on a professional level. Took classes for like 3 months in total early on. Now it internet is my teacher. And it awesome too, I can find just about anything.

So, here goes nothing:

Later !!

WAKE UP Nawras/Oman Mobile !!

This Sunday, UAE and Saudi get their hands on the apple iPhone. Some people think its too expensive. Well, yes, maybe. But its an iPhone, and like many other apple products, its suppose to be expensive.

First up, I checked Etisalat rates. You can find them here.

Well, not so bad. Its a bit pricey but you can have legally have an iPhone rather then the Jail broken ones.

Then I went and checked Mobily. You can find it here.

This is simply awesome. I seriously wish I lived in Saudi now, if it weren't for the religious Police, I would have lived there from now on.

Now the real part ! What on earth is Nawras and/or Oman Mobile doing ?

Nawras:

Stop concentrating on making amateurish web pages, and stupid bundle offers. One of the things I like about you is the simple offers and plans. Leave the complex ones to the new MVNP. And stop writing huge essays about your new store in QCC. It doesn't matter. You are getting old. We know you have the second land phone licence, but that doesn't mean you will concentrate on it and forget the good old "another first in the sultanate" stuff.

WAKE UP !! Go and call Apple and demand the iPhone. Show them money. If TRA interferes, use "wasta".

You know I have the most expectations from you ? Right ?

Oman Mobile:

I don't care if you are joining Omantel or not. People wouldn't even bother, if only you had better products and services. What on earth is wrong with you ? Start behaving like a public company and lets get some action.

I would believe you have the most "wasta" when it comes to TRA. So go and use it for something good. Like getting us the iPhone.

And yeah, WAKE UP !!

How many more times do I have to feel that I'm in the most technologically outdated and most slowest country in the Gulf ? You big neighbors are having it all, the good, the bad, the ugly. Now I know we don't need the bad or the ugly, but at least WAKE UP and see or even copy the good things. If they are interested enough to persuade apple to bring the iPhone, why not you ? 

Why ?

Ramblings on the valentines night.

Haven't been blogging much. I guess I like being a silent reader !

So, its not the best valentines day I have had! Nothing special to do, with no one special ! So, its just another day. Hoping for a better future !

On other news, I'm trying to make this face facebook profile. I want to stock some one. Lets see how my skills at online faking are.

The last two weeks have been crazy. Absolutely, fucking crazy. We had the conference at MECIT last week and this week legislative meetings at KOM1. I had the best time of my life. It was so awesome and tiring taking care of logistics and registration and money. I'm not the best organized person out there, but I managed well.

We had a lot of externals delivering sessions, like Pwc, AMIDEAST, ELS, PDO and a lot more. It was great seeing the interactions between the speakers and the audience.

Overall it was awesome. But being busy taking care of so much, I couldn't take any pictures ! I'll try to steal some from fb

Later..

Recycling !

There is a lot of discussion over the blog sphere and most probably at the coffee joints and offices about the new Brand Oman logo. Some say, its really not that bad, some says it sucks.

Personally I do not like the logo, but its not that bad. I mean its a logo, and we have to live with it. Maybe they could have a public voting on this before making it public? It would create publicity and the right type of vibe. But then, voting is not common in this part of the world !

Among all the blogging and commenting, I see something else. People are blogging, voicing their opinions. People are reading blogs, forums. Which is good. Ain't it ?

If you missed all this you can read interesting comments here, here, here and here.

Moving on,

I recently picked this up from Shell.

Its great what ESO is doing in raising awereness about recycling and using recycleable materials.

So what should we look at as our model for the future?

I would suggest Japan !

A picture of a japanese recycling instruction chart. Got from somewhere on the web.

The Japanese are strict about their recycling. They have been doing this for years. And to me it looks plain crazy. But the fact is its efficient and it works. They ask the citizen (ask by law and fines), to wade through their trash and seperate into catagories. Then to put certain catagories out on certain days !

Here are a few links:

This is from a blogger from The city of Yokohama:

Everyday in japan

It old, but they have been following that for years now. Its even gotten more complicated.

13 page recycling guide published by the city.

And one from Tokyo:

Tokyo

An interesting read !!

Later !!

Neglect !

Well yeah I know, haven't been blogging much. I have been busy organizing a conference, well not the whole thing. But its quiet a handful for me. I'm the Organizing committee VP for registration and logistics. Yeah, a big one ha ?

What's the conference ?

AIESEC Oman 2nd National Conference ! Here is more about AIESEC, that I wrote in a previous blog post. Also visit AIESEC International website. AIESEC Oman is a chapter of this awesome international student organization.

One of my job responsibility is to take care of registration. If you see in my profile, you can see the other temporary blog I created to manage online registration. Its amazing what you can get for free on the Internet ! I have been using Zoho and I absolutely love it !! Its so freaking easy !

So, will do a full review of Zoho. And a few other things once the conference is over.

Have you used Zoho ? Let me know.

Last, but not the least, I have had a few new readers of my blog :) Thank you all for reading, and the comments. It means a lot. Do come back often !

Special thanks to Sangeetha Sridhar, I will try and write some more poems :)

Later !!

Better late then never !

Oman wins the 19th Gulf Cup, beating Saudi Arab in Penalty shoot-out of 6-5

Going into the stadium you could sense all the excitement around. To sum extend everyone was optimistic, that this is it. Oman will be the champions of the 19th Gulf Cup. Everyone wanted them to win, we were chanting "we want the cup, we want the cup". The players I'm sure shared the same determination, and finally their hard work guided them towards success.
Me, and my friends, like atleast 50,000 others (I guess), that we wanted to be a part of all this excitment and watch the match up close. Going into the packed stadium at 2, it was already filled to the brim. The crowd was filled with a mixture of red shirts and white disdashas. It was an amazing site. All this for the 11 players and the numerous others behind the scene. All of them had a lot on their shoulders and the good thing is they did it.
The Saudi's were in large numbers as well. Filling their dedicated stand and dancing all the way to the end. There was little green among the million reds!
The ground looked small from the top. This was the first time watching a football match live, and I loved every moment of it. One local guy asked me are you India, I replied with a "No a Bangladeshi". So then he goes on to ask me why I want Oman to win, and we go on talking using little English that he knew !
The first 90 minutes were good. But the Saudi said had a good defence. And nothing happened. The crowd reaction was awesome, booing at the Saudi's and cheering for the reds. "Ahmar, Ahmar, Ahmar" "Tash batash" (at the Saudi's).


The next 30 minutes were also not so great, but the excitement was rising. Penanlty is mostly about luck. "Habsiiii, Habsi". Yes it was up to the star of Oman, the one person people really believe in as the saviour of the team. Then the first 5 tries each side.

People were now standing and waiting ! Then Saudi team missed one and everyone was cheering like crazy and standing on their seat. And then came the win, and it was crazy. People were hugging anyone and everyone. "Mabrook" and "Elf Mabrook" was flowing throughout the stadium. Ahh.. Finally.

We waited till they made the victory lap with the cup. Then it was party time.


The dancing started from outside the stadium till shatti. It was a huge rush, but for us it was fun. It was something worth experiencing. For the people who frown at the traffic and curse, stop doing that and lets have some fun. These are not football holigans they are the supporters who want to celebrate ! It was fun "wallah" !!
Had an awesome experience and came home at 4. It took us 4 hours to reach obrah roundabout from Bowsher. 4 hours of fun and dancing and flag weaving ! Finally, better late then never yeah ?
Congrats to all the team members and everyone who made this happen, and worked hard to make this the number one team in the gulf, and inshallah very soon in the world !

Movie review (kind of) - Slumdog Millionaire

(picture courtesy of mtv.com)

Just amazing ! Awesome ! Mind blowing. Everything about it, the directing, acting, cinematography, concept ahhh... This is the best movie i have seen in a long long time !

And if you haven't watched it, here is my advice

WATCH IT

Did you hear me ?

WATCH IT

WATCH IT

I would pay the insane ticket prices if and only if it comes to Oman ! Fingers crossed !

Its been raining all day. But rain here is very tricky! It might rain just a few feet from your place, and you will never see a single drop. Today is different. It is raining at all know locations of Muscat, its been raining since early morning and been awesome !!

Ah, I love rain, specially when its my holiday and I can sleep until late !! I wish Oman had a rainy season, but the truth is tomorrow the sun will shine bright and high and will be so, until God knows when.

On another note, today are the semi finals for the gulf cup 19. Oman is playing Qatar, and Saudi is playing Bahrain. It might be a rainy game and then a rainy celebration (fingers crossed!)

I leave you with a few pictures I took from my door step with my mobile.

Oman wins 2-0 with Bahrain

So, with all the celebration around Oman winning their second group match and making it to the semifinals, my Omani friend invited me to join him and his brothers as we took to the streets of Muscat, as so many others, driving around sticking out of the windows and the sun roof holding flags of Oman.

In the past I would be really be annoyed by the whole thing on the roads. But being a part of it felt real good. Who would say that Oman had won just a group match ? It was absolute mayhem. The police tried it best to control everyone. There were special police on the road for crowd control. I have never seen them before though.

The total scene was absolutely awesome. There were girls driving around in groups covered up with only their eyes showing. I swear they locked more sexy then the bikini clad girls of the west !! They were all dancing to the Arabic tunes. Ahhh.. HOT !!

Traffic was a stand still in most place. The two of the hottest places were Shatti, and Muttrah Corniche. At Murttrah Corniche entire families were on the roads sitting and hanging around. People were in such a festive mode ! The tourists were having a blast, snapping pictures at all possible occasions.

It was a lot of fun. Took some pictures, sorry for the low quality, tool them with my mobile. Enjoy !!

My Friend and his brothers. We are walking on the Corniche road and dancing !!

At Muttrah Corniche

The view at Shatti

People getting out of their cars to dance, on the middle island.

On the way to Shatti

-100 %

Hello People,

So first, take a look at this from google analytics:




Notice the change ! It actually shows -100% !! Damn, I must have done something wrong somewhere !

Its going to be really hard, to get people back, so I'm going to try my best.

I have noticed that my Blog looks different in IE and Firefox. Its best viewed in IE. The problem area is with the main banner and the side panel. I have tried to change the padding, but dosen't work. So, I'm going to leave it that way for now. If anyone out there knows whats wrong, please tell me !

So, I'm on a mission to make my blog popluar. So, lets see how that goes.

Later then... !!

I'm B.A.C.K.

Whats up people ?

Been ages since I last updated! So I decided to make a bigger update. You will notice the differences !! Its taken me 2 days to tweak them. But finally I'm done! Its a slightly modified version of one of the default templates on blogger.

Here is whats new:

• Custom top banner.
• Custom back tile.
• And overall change in colors.

Hope you people like it :)

OK, have a lot of updates in my mind. Going to keep them under wraps until the very last day!

OK, now for late wishes:
Happy New Year !! Hope this year is the best year in your life, but not as good as 2010 will be :)

Cheers !